Inside AJC

(from left) Jacob David Wilson, Andrew Xavier Monden and Vincent Castillenti were arrested and charged for participating in a protest at Georgia Tech that left two campus officers injured and a police vehicle burned. Photo: Fulton County Sheriff’s Office

Students told to shelter in place

Anger over the police shooting of a Pride Alliance leader at Georgia Tech turned violent Monday night, as protesters set a campus police car ablaze following a candlelight vigil.

Two police officers received minor injuries, Tech spokesman Lance Wallace said. One was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, treated and released, he said.

Three people were arrested and were identified by Tech authorities as Vincent Castillenti, Jacob Wilson, and Cassandra Monden. It was not immediately clear if they were students at the university.

(Fulton County jail)

Wilson was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault against a police officer, and three misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass. Arrest warrants said Wilson hit an officer in the head with a can of spray paint, causing a concussion, and struck another in the face. Warrants also said Wilson spray painted three different sites near the protest with anti-cop sentiments.

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Monden — who was identified as Andrew Xavier Monden by the Fulton County Sheriff’s office — was charged with a felony count of interference with government property, and inciting to rioting, which is a misdemeanor. Arrest warrants said Monden attempted to kick in a front windshield of a police car.

On Saturday, Sept. 16, a caller, later identified as Scout Schultz contacted 911 to report a suspicious person on campus. Soon afterward, Schultz was shot dead by a Georgia Tech campus police officer. The following 911 call was released to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation through an open records request.

Castillenti, 31, was charged with felonies including aggravated assault on an officer, along with willful obstruction of an officer by use of threats or violence. Arrest warrants said Castillenti hit an officer in the head with a hammer while the officer was arresting another protester, and sprayed a different officer with pepper spray when the officer was attempting to arrest him.

The three are expected in court for first appearance hearings Wednesday morning.

The parents of Scout Schultz — who had appeared earlier in the day with their attorney to question the deadly shooting — released a statement Monday night calling for calm.

“We ask that those who wish to protest Scout's death do so peacefully. Answering violence with violence is not the answer. Our goal is to work diligently to make positive change at Georgia Tech in an effort to ensure a safer campus for all students,” they said.

“This is how we will truly honor Scout's life and legacy.”

A vehicle burns after a vigil for a Georgia Tech student who was shot dead by campus police turns violent on Sept. 18, 2017.

Students planned to set up tables across campus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday “for ... campus members to write letters and on posters to show support for Scout's family and friends (as tonights vigil was interrupted) as well as GTPD,” according to a Facebook post.

But about 50 students left the vigil and began to march toward the Tech police headquarters at Hemphill Avenue and Ferst Drive.

At 9:28 p.m., Georgia Tech tweeted that students should “shelter in place” due to “violent protests on campus.” Officers from the Atlanta Police and nearby Georgia State University were called in to to assist Georgia Tech police.

Chad Miller, a Tech alumnus taking part in the march, said he thought tear gas had been deployed. Miller told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he was right behind the police car when it erupted into flames.

“All I heard was metal hitting metal,” Miller said. “I’m guessing it was fireworks, there were some pretty powerful ones.”

“I was marching with them until they got in front of the police station and then all hell broke loose.”

Miller said he saw one man who may have been a police officer throwing up and coughing.

Friends embrace on Monday, September 18, 2017, during a vigil in memory of Scout Schultz, a student and leader in the LGBTQIA community at Georgia Tech. The vigil was held at the Kessler Campanile at Georgia Tech in Atlanta after Scout Schultz was killed during an encounter with campus police. Pride Alliance and Progressive Student Alliance hosted the vigil. ((Rebecca Breyer) for The AtlantaJournal-Constitution)
(Rebecca Breyer)

Schultz was shot and killed after a confrontation with Georgia Tech campus police late Saturday night. Police have said Schultz had a knife and refused commands to stop.

But Chris Stewart, a lawyer for the family, said Schultz was carrying a small utility tool and the blade wasn’t out.

“Why did you have to shoot?” Scout’s father, Bill Schultz asked at a news conference Monday. “That’s the only question that matters right now.”

Schultz was the head of the Georgia Pride Alliance, which had helped organize Monday night’s vigil. The group advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual individuals.